VASCULAR TREATMENTS

SPIDER VEIN REMOVAL

What are spider veins?

Spider veins, also called telangiectasias or varicose veins, although not considered as «varicose veins» by many patients, do represent one of the manifestations of CHRONIC VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY. They are class 1 of the CEAP classification. They are PATHOLOGICAL veins that should not be seen.

It is true that they do not usually cause complications, unless they are very abundant and are associated with heaviness and leg pain. Also in extreme cases, these telangiectasias can cause small bleedings. They are generally associated with RETICULAR VEINS, which are the slightly deeper, greenish vein branches that tend to «feed» the more visible spider veins. Spider veins can also occur on the décolleté, face or even breasts.

What does the treatment consist of?

The most widespread and effective treatment modality is SCLEROTHERAPY. Sclerotherapy consists of the injection of a substance that is somewhat irritating to an internal layer of the vein, which causes the vein to occlude and annul. There are various types of sclerosing substances. At Delarra Vascular, we handle all of them and prefer to adapt the sclerosing substance to each case. It is carried out by injections along the veins, every few centimetres.

During the sclerotherapy procedure, short and multiple injections must be made, so that we achieve the best distribution of the product, with the smoothest and most uniform effect. As we say, it is like painting with varnish, and it is preferable to do many light coats. There are possible adverse effects as in any type of treatment.

See below in the dedicated section. We want our patients to be well informed.

THERE ARE TWO VARIETIES OF TREATMENT, WHICH AT DELARRA WE ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF.

CRYO SCLEROTHERAPY: Cryo sclerotherapy involves the injection of a mild sclerosing substance (to avoid adverse effects such as pigmentation) but is injected at a very low temperature (-40°C). The sum of these factors enhances the effect, avoiding unwanted effects as much as possible. The cold also causes a spasm of the vein (the vein becomes smaller) and controls excessive swelling. All this makes the effects IMPROVABLE FROM AN AESTHETIC POINT OF VIEW. All this requires special equipment.

LASER-SCLEROTHERAPY: Combined transcutaneous laser sclerotherapy is far superior to conventional sclerotherapy (not cryo sclerotherapy). Initially the spider veins are punctured, and a small amount of sclerosant is injected (different types are used). When the sclerosant is injected, the vein takes on a very reddish colour, which increases its effectiveness thanks to the mechanism of action of the laser.

Recovery: does not require recovery time.

When it works: Initially, the punctured veins look even WORSE and bruising appears. It is not until after two weeks that the punctured veins begin to thin out, fragment and disappear.

How many sessions: it will depend on the number of varicose veins present in each patient. In each session, both legs are punctured and an exhaustive treatment is carried out.

Generally 3 sessions are the most frequent, although there are patients who require up to 5 or 6 sessions, when they have many or respond more slowly. Ideally, a minimum of 3 weeks should pass between sessions.

How long the treatment lasts: about 45 minutes.

Where to apply it: we have to start by treating the greenest branches initially, since, as we mentioned earlier, these are the ones that feed the rest. Then continue with the most visible needles.

Pain: the treatment is done with very fine needles. The prick is noticeable but not annoying. The injection of some products may cause a slight stinging, but we have ways to avoid this completely. Most patients who have undergone laser hair removal report the sclerosis as clearly less uncomfortable than hair removal.

Post-treatment advices:

  • Normal life can be resumed immediately after the treatment

  • You should avoid extreme sports for 5 days

  • You should avoid sunbathing for 7 days

  • It is highly recommended to wear compression stockings for 5 to 7 days after treatment. Wear them during the day and rest at night.

  • We recommend applying a cream, which is recommended by our doctors and can be purchased at any pharmacy. Twice daily for 7-10 days. This accelerates recovery and improves results significantly .

Post treatment tips:

You can lead a normal life at the end of the treatment .Avoid extreme sport in the next 5 days.

Avoid sunbathing for 7 days.

We generally recommend wearing compression stockings between 5 and 7 days after treatment. They are worn during the day and rested at night.

Apply a cream that we recommend and can be easily found at any pharmacy. Twice a day for 7- 10 days. This dramatically speeds up recovery and improves results.

Combination with other treatments: If there are also thick varicose veins, there is no inconvenience in treating both types of varicose veins at the same time. Sometimes it is preferable to initially treat the thick varicose veins first and then the telangiectasias.

Results: we show real results of patients, who have evidently presented a satisfactory evolution, which is the norm. However, in medicine, a quick and perfect result is not always achieved. What we can assure 100% is the exquisiteness and dedication, and that we will study and treat each case to obtain the best possible result.